Five 'outside' drivers to chase $5 million IndyCar prizeThe five drivers selected to race for a $5 million prize in the Oct. 16 IndyCar race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be announced next month and then practice on the 1.5-mile oval in September.

IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard offered the bounty for professional racers who do not compete in IndyCar. He expects to announce the first participant by Aug. 1.

Among several drivers rumored to be interested in the challenge is NASCAR star Kasey Kahne. Bernard would not comment on any of the possibilities.

The drivers will take their first laps at either Kentucky or Chicagoland speedway, with a second session at Las Vegas, Bernard said Thursday.

Bernard said a test day for all IndyCar teams is set for Oct. 12, and a fan expo will be at Mandalay Bay during that week. The IndyCar banquet will be Oct. 17 at a Las Vegas hotel not yet determined.

Another wrinkle to the series' first event at Las Vegas is Bernard's offer of free tickets for fans attending any IndyCar race this season. About 40,000 fans have been issued upgrade stickers for Las Vegas admission, he said.

Bernard is working with Feld Entertainment to promote the racing weekend, which includes the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Oct. 15 at LVMS and Feld's inaugural Monster Cup invitational supercross/motorcross race at Sam Boyd Stadium a few hours after the truck race.

"I want the town full of motor sports fans that weekend, and I don't care what genre of racing they're here for," Bernard said. Las Vegas Review Journal

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